Zebra Helps Improve Patient Care at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital

Zebra Technologies Corporation announced the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital’s (SNUBH) seamless integration of Zebra’s pocket-sized TC51-HC touch computer with its in-house Closed Loop Medication Administration (CLMA) system. The solution enables its clinical staff to access patient data securely and efficiently when administering care for its patients.

With 11 specialized centers, 33 medical departments and 1,352 hospital beds, SNUBH cares for an average of 7,000 inpatients daily. SNUBH is a paperless, all-digital hospital with a state-of-the-art smart environment aimed at providing its patients with safety and convenience. To further improve the quality of care for its patient, safety and medical service quality, SNUBH established the CLMA system in 2007.

The CLMA is a real-time execution and resource management system that uses mobile computers and RFID technology to transmit patient data for work purposes. It works in conjunction with the hospital’s information system to send data of the tasks processed by the clinical staff to electronic medical records (EMR) in real-time. Further, logs are stored in BESTCare2.0 – the next-generation hospital information system – to enable any errors made by CLMA users to be easily monitored. This system allows SNUBH’s clinical staff to perform tasks like vital sign checking, pre-surgery checks and nursing practice in real-time through their issued mobile computers. Photos required for the patient’s medical examination can also be taken by clinical staff on their mobile computers and stored instantly in their EMR system for future reference.

“SNUBH aspires to be a leading smart hospital that focuses on improving patient care and the efficiency of our clinical staff. SNUBH is the first hospital outside of the US to obtain a 7-step certification from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), which is the highest level of medical institution informatization. When applied to blood products and breastfeeding, the CLMA technology plays an essential role in achieving patient safety, improved efficiency for resource management, and acquiring HIMSS Analytics EMRAM Stage 7 certification in the U.S.,” said Ho-Young Lee, M.D., director of Medical Information Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. “With our Zebra deployment, SNUBH further improves patient safety with a more convenient, user-oriented information system to achieve greater efficiency.”

“We are delighted that the prestigious SNUBH has chosen the TC51-HC to be part of its state-of-the-art smart environment,” said John Woo, regional sales director of Korea, Zebra Technologies. “This all-in-one touch computer empowers clinical staff to provide optimal care by enabling them to instantly connect, collaborate and communicate with their colleagues. Zebra’s healthcare technology devices like the TC51-HC are designed to enable collaboration, simplify workflows and capture and access patient information right at the patient’s side.”

As a result of the deployment, SNUBH’s clinical staff can gain instant access to critical patient data in one lightweight, ruggedized device built with medical-grade standards and long-lasting battery life of up to 14 hours.

The TC51-HC has two built-in cameras which are helpful when clinical staff needs to snap high-resolution photos of patients’ conditions for a quick consultation or medical documentation. Powered by Android OS, the TC51-HC has an application throughput that is up to five times faster and 15 percent less power consumption which enables it to last long enough for extended work hours.